iPad subscriptions: The Telegraph, Esquire, Popular Mechanics, The Oprah Magazine, Time, Fortune, and Sports Illustrated

A bunch of print newspapers and magazines seem to be finally jumping on board the iPad subscription train, including The Telegraph (UK), Heart properties including Esquire, Popular Mechanics, and O, The Oprah Magazine, and Time has somehow swung a deal to get existing Time, Fortune, and Sports Illustrated readers free access via iPad.

Meanwhile the launched-with-much-todo The Daily has reportedly gotten 800K downloads but is losing $10 million a month.

The big stumbling block was, is, and remains Apple's insistence that users opt-in to sharing their demographic data with publishers (while the publishers would prefer opt-out since they figure -- probably rightly -- few users will actively choose to share). Publishers have historically relied on demographics and marketing against them as a key revenue source. Another problem has been getting users to pay for content that they've gotten used to getting free on the web -- especially when publishers have asked fairly high prices (sometimes higher than print!)

So with more and more heavy hitters hitting the platform, but with everyone still struggling to figure out the business model, what does the future hold for iPad subscriptions? Do we need an iMags/iNews store like iBooks? Or is it just the wrong medium for an outdated message?

Reader comments

iPad subscriptions: The Telegraph, Esquire, Popular Mechanics, The Oprah Magazine, Time, Fortune, and Sports Illustrated

I downloaded The Daily while the content was free. Didn't think it was worth paying for, so I deleted the app. They need to make it free again and generate income through ads. There is too much free content to pay anything for The Daily.

Two things, 1. ability to schedule the specific time of the download to avoid bandwidth issues caused by large files and 2. the option to not have to receive the hard copy as well as the digital version.

I won't be subscribing while it is cheaper to get a print subscription.
They should give the digital subscription with all print subscriptions and let
people transition over. Then offer a $9-10 digital only subscription upon renewal.

Models like the Daily, The Telegraph (UK), Heart properties including Esquire, Popular Mechanics, and O, The Oprah Magazine, Time, Fortune, and Sports Illustrated won't last long in the e-world.... The business model that comes from the 40's - 50's doesn't work here.. Ask Adrianna Huffington... SO, let them huf and puf until their balloons have crashed to the ground and their content is in apps like Huff Po and Zite....
IF folks like Rupert and his gang of greedy, sticky-figured siblings think that they can rule the content world and demand we pay them for their uniqueness - guess again...
Aggregation is easy... making it work is hard.. Ask Huffington or the Zite guys in Vancouver.... Bullies get beat - easily...

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